Police say Spencer death is suspect

Thursday

Oct 11, 2012 at 6:00 AMOct 11, 2012 at 8:46 PM

By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The death of a 20-year-old woman in a Pleasant Street apartment yesterday is being labeled suspicious, and her brother-in-law is being held on $100,000 bail on a charge he lied to police investigating the death.

Steven D. West, 21, of 14 Pleasant St. was arraigned this morning on the charge of intimidation of a witness, a broad statute which includes providing false information to police.

The body of Alyssa A. Haden, also of 14 Pleasant St., was discovered in the apartment.

Mr. West is married to Ms. Haden's twin sister. The three shared an apartment.

A preliminary police report indicated Ms. Haden had “obvious signs of death” and a small wound on her neck.

Mr. West was ordered held on $100,000 bail. Assistant District Attorney Brett Dillon told Judge Paul Losapio it was too early in the investigation to determine whether Mr. West would face additional charges. He said Mr. West has ties to Indiana and has not been in Massachusetts for very long. He said Mr. West did not appear to have an out-of-state criminal record.

According to court documents, Spencer police were called to the apartment Ms. Haden shared with Mr. West and his wife about noon yesterday. Town records show Ms. Haden's sister's name is Caitlin West.

Police wrote that she had “lividity inconsistent with the position of the body.” Such a discovery could mean the body had been moved.

In July, Ms. Haden was displaced from her family home on Grove Street after a fire that was later ruled arson. The fire started in Ms. Haden's bedroom. It killed some family pets. There have been no arrests in that case.

Mr. West was at the scene of that fire and was carrying a cat in a carrier that had been rescued from the home.

In Western Worcester District Court in East Brookfield this morning, Mr. West's court-appointed lawyer Michael Hussey said was unsure if the high bail was requested because investigators anticipate filing additional charges.

He said his client would have trouble posting a much lesser amount due to his financial circumstances and said, “most intimidation of a witness cases don't involve this set of circumstances.”

He said it was unclear to him what Mr. West had done to mislead police and whether the death was a homicide.

Members of Ms. Haden's family, including Mr. West's wife, who is pregnant with her second child, quickly left court after the arraignment, shouting at reporters before driving away.

Mr. West, clad in black, said nothing during the arraignment. He is due back in court on Nov. 12.